I drive my motorhome a few miles every 9-10 days. It occurred to me that the chassis battery is not getting charged enough. Thus the above question does plugging it in to charge house batteries affect the chassis battery? I don't have devices to check charge, I guess an auto parts store could check it. Gas was low yesterday but there was gas in there and once yesterday and once today it would not turn over and catch till the second try ( where I pumped the gas pedal to the floor before the second try where it did start. thanks Doug

In the motorhomes we've owned plugging into shore power charged only the house batteries. But, we added a device...can't recall the name...that diverted a small amount of energy directed to the coach batteries to the chassis battery keeping it charged.

RK thanks, I will pass on such a device for now, but wonder if I take the rv out every 9-10 days how far would I need to drive it to keep a chassis battery charge up? Doug

no way to know. likely would depend on the level of discharge. But, of more concern would be running the engine for short periods before engine gets to proper operating temperature. A 30-minute drive once a month should do it. Recommemd you reconsider the Trik-L-Start device. Inexpensive ans EZ to install. Trik-L-Start

Hi,This is a good unit.https://www.bestconverter.com/TRIK-L-START_c_210.htmlThere is a higher capacity one called the Ampl-L-Start.

RK, explain the problem with short jaunts and engine not getting to proper o perating temperature. What happens- what are the consequences? Is that just a battery issue or something else? Doug

chassis battery charge ? | Good Sam Community

Brownleaf
Explorer
Oct 20, 2023
RLS, I will call Winnebago to make sure. RVdoc said otherwise. Doug
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 20, 2023
Brownleaf wrote:
Gritdog, just took it out for a few miles and it started out on the dash saying 50% charged and went up to about 5/8 charged by the end. Do I need to worry if that dash indicater is valid? Doug

Wow, umm, idk. I’ve never seen a dash indicator in % of charged. That’s kinda cool. And appears to be working if you think the battery was low and then it went up a bit after driving a bit. Hell, idk, test the theory out. More fun than hooking up a battery charger if you got nothing else to do and a couple cold road sodas.
Take the same lap 4 times and see if it goes to full.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 20, 2023
TCBear wrote:
"No they’re not “designed” to sit longer."

Of course motorhome chassis, drivetrains and bodies are designed with extended storage in mind -- that's what people routinely do with them, so all that's taken into account by component engineers in their durability and longevity objectives. And because they are, the vehicles can survive certain things (including neglect) that a Ferrari V-12 supercar might not tolerate as well.

Yeah, when you put it like that, you’re absolutely correct.
In fact I was thinkin tonight on my way home from work that it’s been a few weeks since I drove the ole Koenigsegg and the oil might be gettin rusty and damaging the piston turbulators. So went out and ripped off a couple laps at PIR and then came home and changed the oil. Hope she makes it til the next time it’s not raining out.
JaxDad
Explorer III
Oct 20, 2023
If your house & chassis batteries live in the same place just take the cheapest set of booster cables you can lay your hands on and connect the house & chassis batteries for 24 hours every couple of weeks.

Great? No, but far better than nothing.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 20, 2023
^Yup great idea. Another one of the many ways to skin this cat that don’t require doing laps around the block aimlessly in a motorhome.
Maybe for the OP consider going the opposite direction half the time. You know, for even tire wear and new scenery!
RLS7201
Explorer II
Oct 20, 2023
Brownleaf wrote:
RLS, I will call Winnebago to make sure. RVdoc said otherwise. Doug

Why would you call Winnebago to question my Fleetwood response?

Richard
Bobbo
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2023
RLS7201 wrote:
Brownleaf wrote:
RLS, I will call Winnebago to make sure. RVdoc said otherwise. Doug

Why would you call Winnebago to question my Fleetwood response?

Richard

Maybe because he has a Winnebago, not a Fleetwood.
dedmiston
Moderator
Oct 21, 2023
Please play nice with each other.

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chassis battery charge ?

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